Arnold Dean passed away

[ZenConn]

RIP Arnold Dean. I met him when he came to my school back in 6th or 7th grade for a talk to our class.

That was close to 30 years ago ....

 

[Dove]

I remember he once had two recruits on at the same time. UConn was after them big time hoping to get both. UConn got neither.

One was Travis Best. I forget the other...anyone remember? They were both New England kids.

It was Eric something. I think he went to Temple while Best went to play for Bobby Cremins.

 

[Steve85]

It was Eric something. I think he went to Temple while Best went to play for Bobby Cremins.

Eric Brunson.

 

[Dove]

Eric Brunson.

Thanks. That was a great interview with them both on the line at the same time. They were hoping to go to UConn but I believe UConn was waiting on Ollie and/or Fair at the time.

 

[Waquoit]

I remember he once had two recruits on at the same time. UConn was after them big time hoping to get both. UConn got neither.

One was Travis Best. I forget the other...anyone remember? They were both New England kids.

I thought it was Ollie and Best being recruited at the same time?

 

[Dove]

I thought it was Ollie and Best being recruited at the same time?

Probably. But it was the local kids on Arnold's show that night.

 

[Cheddie]

Long time ago, I did some landscaping for his yard in Wethersfield. Really nice guy - it was a warm day, and he came out with ice tea for the bunch of us working.

 

[Marat]

RIP Arnold. I remember spending my evenings (growing up) listening to WTIC sports talk.

When did Arnold stop doing the show? Was is Scott Gray that took over?

 

[mauconnfan]

Did you head over to Bob Steele's house in Wethersfield after hooking up Arnold with the landscaping? Nice story about the ice tea. In my younger days I did some landscaping work and never had anyone bring ice tea out to me! That is a nice gesture! Pleasant thought!

C'mon BLUEDOG no 3rdbass stories sent in to Penthouse Forum from your younger landscaping days??

 

[BLUEDOGHOUSE]

C'mon BLUEDOG no 3rdbass stories sent in to Penthouse Forum from your younger landscaping days??

You got me there! I'm BUSTED but the statute of limitations on 3rdbass stories has long passed at my age !!!

 

[mauconnfan]

You got me there! I'm BUSTED but the statute of limitations on 3rdbass stories has long passed at my age !!!

We can still dream, and try to remember the old days.......but sadly they have passed!!! LOL

 

[Waquoit]

When did Arnold stop doing the show? Was is Scott Gray that took over?

I don't remember the exact years, but Arnold took over the morning show with a guy named Tom McCarthy in the mid-80's after Bob Steele retired. Scott Grey did Sports Talk and was a complete disaster. The morning show wasn't much better and after a couple of years they brought in Dunaway. Grey moved to mornings and Arnold went back to Sports Talk, eventually sharing the show with Joe D.

I remember the exact year when Joe D started. Just after the Dream Season. WTIC had dumped UConn years earlier and broadcasts went to WPOP as part of the "Connecticut Radio Network." After The Shot, WTIC won the bid for broadcast rights. In the biggest mistake of Arnold's career, he dumped Bob Heussler and brought in the doughy pantload. As we all know, Heussler absolutely nailed the call on Tate's shot. So much so that when they show the replay on TV, they use the radio call instead of the typically cruddy call of Dick Stockton. Bob deserved to keep the job for that call alone. Compare that to the stilted, non-spontanious call when UConn finally won the big one. At least Arnold kept Wayne Norman.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

The random mention of Frosty Francis calls to mind his visit to our house to have my parents enroll my older sister and me as charter campers at High Meadow Day Camp in Granby. I went the full circuit from Pequot to Ute to counselor, and shifted after Norfeldt elementary to Kingswood. This thread has itself been a comfort food equivalent, as I mark the 50th anniversary of my first trips to Storrs for weeknight basketball games.

 

[Calhoun's Court]

I don't remember the exact years, but Arnold took over the morning show with a guy named Tom McCarthy in the mid-80's after Bob Steele retired. Scott Grey did Sports Talk and was a complete disaster. The morning show wasn't much better and after a couple of years they brought in Dunaway. Grey moved to mornings and Arnold went back to Sports Talk, eventually sharing the show with Joe D.

I remember the exact year when Joe D started. Just after the Dream Season. WTIC had dumped UConn years earlier and broadcasts went to WPOP as part of the "Connecticut Radio Network." After The Shot, WTIC won the bid for broadcast rights. In the biggest mistake of Arnold's career, he dumped Bob Heussler and brought in the doughy pantload. As we all know, Heussler absolutely nailed the call on Tate's shot. So much so that when they show the replay on TV, they use the radio call instead of the typically cruddy call of Dick Stockton. Bob deserved to keep the job for that call alone. Compare that to the stilted, non-spontanious call when UConn finally won the big one. At least Arnold kept Wayne Norman.

I seem to remember this........

Anyone remember when Scott Gray broke the "Francis /Dineen trade that wasn't. Guess he thought he had a scoop. Went with it on air and it turned out not to be true.

It was pretty funny to hear him try to backpeddle.

 

[huskyjawz]

I goofed on Arnold once. I called and said that while I thought Phil Gamble was a fine player, I didn't think he deserved to have the building named after him. Arnold patiently explained that it wasn't Gamble, it was Gampel, "G-A-M-P-E-L" After I hung up he did say, "I think that fella was pulling my leg."

Arnold didn't have a bad word to say about anyone...except Ralph Houk. He never elaborated as far as I heard, I always wondered what the backstory was. My last call the Arnold was memorable for me, he deemed me the best caller of the night and I won two tickets to a Don Zimmer roast down at Mohegan Sun. I didn't realize what a big to-do it was. We had a great time. The ballroom was packed and the dinner was Surf and Turf with free beer and wine. Thanks, Arnold.

The best was when someone called and asked if he had heard of the new recruit, a seven footer from Africa: Baba Booey.

 

[swami7774]

george erhlich I believe

And Floyd (Hap) Richards.
Arnold was a great guy. Very polite, so unlike today's crop of screamers.
I do remember he mispronounced Boeheim as "bo-HEEM" a few times.

 

[swami7774]

I don't remember the exact years, but Arnold took over the morning show with a guy named Tom McCarthy in the mid-80's after Bob Steele retired. Scott Grey did Sports Talk and was a complete disaster. The morning show wasn't much better and after a couple of years they brought in Dunaway. Grey moved to mornings and Arnold went back to Sports Talk, eventually sharing the show with Joe D.

I remember the exact year when Joe D started. Just after the Dream Season. WTIC had dumped UConn years earlier and broadcasts went to WPOP as part of the "Connecticut Radio Network." After The Shot, WTIC won the bid for broadcast rights. In the biggest mistake of Arnold's career, he dumped Bob Heussler and brought in the doughy pantload. As we all know, Heussler absolutely nailed the call on Tate's shot. So much so that when they show the replay on TV, they use the radio call instead of the typically cruddy call of Dick Stockton. Bob deserved to keep the job for that call alone. Compare that to the stilted, non-spontanious call when UConn finally won the big one. At least Arnold kept Wayne Norman.

You mean the dog show analogy that didn't work?

 

[Dove]

The random mention of Frosty Francis calls to mind his visit to our house to have my parents enroll my older sister and me as charter campers at High Meadow Day Camp in Granby. I went the full circuit from Pequot to Ute to counselor, and shifted after Norfeldt elementary to Kingswood. This thread has itself been a comfort food equivalent, as I mark the 50th anniversary of my first trips to Storrs for weeknight basketball games.

Sorry but, did you write "Ute"? What's a "Ute"?

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

Sorry but, did you write "Ute"? What's a "Ute"?

Quite a bit different from in "My Cousin Vinny," it's an American Indian tribe.